Car-brake



v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1; A; HENDEE.V GAR-BRAKE.

(No Model.)

Patented feb, 1 1, 1890 NV PETERS. mumegmpm, wmungm uc.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No M odei.)

Patented Feb; 1,1, 1890..

A. HENDEE.

'GAR BRAKE 5mm/whom 607130 Ende @5% moana/13o.

NS PETERS. Fhohrllmogmphar. wzshngfon. D4 C- UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE.

ALONZO I-IENDEE, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 420,996, dated February 11, 1890. v

Application tiled November 29, 1889. Serial 110.831,83). (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALONZO HENDEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Car-Brake, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to railway-car brakes; and it has for its object to provide a brake 1o mechanism adapted more especially to heavy cars, and whereby the strain shall be evenly distributed upon all the wheels, and shall be so regulated and graduated as to prevent any of the wheels from dragging and becoming worn in spots and thereby incapacitated for further use--an objection which obtains in a greater or less degree in all heavy brakegearing as now ordinarily constructed.

The invention consists in the improved construction, arrangement, and combination of parts which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure l 2 5 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of a six-wheeled truck having my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same. Fig. 3 is an end view.

Like numerals of reference indicate like 3o parts in all the figures.

The car-truck to which my invention in the drawings hereto annexed has been shown applied is of ordinary construction.

l designates the side beams; 2, the transverse beams or braces; 3, the axle-boxes; 4, the wheels, and 5 the axles. All of these parts are constructed and put together in any suitable, approved, and well-known manner.

In a six-wheeled truck-such as that shown' 4o in the drawings hereto annexed-six brakebeams are used, said brakebeams, which are designated by 6 6, being arranged in pairs at opposite sides of each pair of wheels, as will be clearly seen in Figs. l and 2 of the drawings. Each of said brake-beams is provided Pivoted connecting-rods l2 connect the lower ends of the levers in pairs, each of the levers 8 and 9 being thus connected with the levers 10 next adjoining, and the upper ends of 4the levers IOare likewise connected in pairs by means of pivoted Aconnecting-rods 13. The

upper end of the lever 9 is mounted adj ustably in a longitudinal bracket or hanger 14, having a series of transverse perforations l5 to receive a pin or bolt 16, upon which the said lever is pivotally mounted. The upper end of the said lever 9 may thus be adjusted longitudinally, so as to compensate for wear.

The operation of this invention and its advantages will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed. When power is applied to the upper end of the initial lever 8 in the direction of the arrow, the brake-beam connected with the said'lever is forced in the same direction, thus bringing Y the shoes at the outerends of the brake-beam into contact with the rims of the, wheels. From the lever 8 the power is transmitted 'through the connecting-rod l2 to the next ad- `brakes to four of the wheels onlye-namely,

those at the ends of the truck. Such being the case, in order to render the brakes effective it has been necessary to apply them to the wheels with a very considerable degree of power, thereby frequently causing the wheels to drag and to become worn flat in places, and thus rendered useless. Again, by the cus'- IOO tomary method of arranging the brake mechanism the truck has been subjected to a strain more or less uneven, which has eventually resulted in permanent-ly ,disabling the truck. By my present invention these disadvantages have been overcome, first, beeausethe brakes are applied to opposite sides of all of the Wheels, thereby making it unnecessary under ordinary circumstances to apply the brakes with a degree of power Which will cause the wheels to drag, and, secondly, because the strain is absolutely cqualized throughout the ent-ire length of the truck, so that no part of the latter will be subjected to an excessive strain.

It is obvious that by making such modifications as will readily suggest themselves to the skilled mechanic my invention may be applied with equal advantages to fo u r-Wheeled trucks and to locomotive engines having two or three pairs of drivers. I, therefore, do not limit myself to the precise construction andA arrangement of details herein described, but reserve Jthe right to any modifications which may be resorted to without depart-ing from my invention.

Having thus described my invention,l claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- A 1. In a car-brake, the combination, with the truck, of .brake-beams arranged in pairs on opposite sides ot the Wheels, the levers connected pivotally to the inner sides oi' the said brake beams, the pivoted rods conneeti ng 1 the said levers in pairs at their lower ends, the pivoted rods connecting in pairs the upper ends of all of the said levers except those at the ends of the truck, ahanger orsupport for one of the said end levers, and a brake-rod or operating mechanism connected With the upper .end ot the initial lever at the other end of the truck, substantially as and for the pur'- pose herein shown and specified.

i3. In a car-brake, the combination, with the truck, of brake-beams arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the wheels, the levers connected pivotally to the inner sides of said brake-beams, the pivoted rods connecting the said levers in pairs at their lower ends, the pivoted rods connecting` in. pairs the upper ends oi all of the said levers except thoseat the ends of the truck, a bracket or hanger having a longitudinal series of transverse perforations, a pin or bolt mounted in said perforations and supporting longitudinally adjust ably the brake-lever at one end of the truck, and a brake-rod or operating mechanism connected with the upper end of the initial lever at the opposite end of the truck, all arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose herein shown. and specified.

ln testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own lhave hereto ailixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALONZO HENDEE. lVitnesses:

JOHN D. NEWMAN, R. O. E. RICHARDSON. 

